Why AAP chose to demonstrate ‘hacking’ of dummy EVM inside Delhi assembly

In a special session of Delhi assembly on Tuesday, AAP MLA gave a demonstration of how an EMV can be hacked. AAP has been blaming ‘faulty’ EVMs for its loss in municipal election.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday chose the floor of the assembly to demonstrate the hacking of a replica of an electronic voting machine in bid to evade legal consequences, experts say.

The Election Commission of India issued an “open challenge” to hack its Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in the first week of May after AAP raised concerns that they might have been tampered with. (HT Photo)

Although AAP claimed to have used a prototype of an EVM for the demonstration, which even the Election Commission of India called a “look-alike”, the AAP didn’t want to take any chances.

In 2010, a researcher Hari Prasad was arrested on charges of stealing an EVM. Prasad was part of a three-member team that attempted to prove EVMs could be hacked. The team needed an EVM for testing, but the poll panel declined. The researchers managed to procure a machine after which Prasad was charged with stealing.

“Legislators enjoy certain privileges and immunity inside the assembly and can’t be held liable. Secondly, performing an act in front of the speaker and in the presence of other legislators adds to the credibility,” said Somnath Chatterjee senior Marxist leader and former Lok Sabha speaker.

The party planned the event meticulously with its social media wing live-streaming the session on its channels. Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia mentioned this in his speech as he said, “Today, this discussion is being live streamed on different platforms and people across the world are watching it. For the sake, our people today we must question EVMs and the state of our democracy.”